Inspired by Scholastica

  Jesus Bent Down Several times in the New Testament the authors recorded that “Jesus bent down.” Last Sunday it was when the woman was caught in adultery. The evangelist writes, “Jesus bent down and began writing in the sand.” When Jesus invited those without sin to cast the first stone, all walked away. Jesus, the itinerant preacher, met the eyes of the woman and asked, “Has no one condemned you?” And she answered, “No one.” There are other occasions when Jesus bent down. I’m sure he bent down often when he was learning carpentry from Joseph. A carpenter bends down many times to get the correct measurements for a chair or table and to shave the wood to make it smooth. And when he was separated from his parents when they came to Jersusalem for the Passover, he not only bent down but sat down with the Jewish leaders to open up the Scriptures with his knowledge. When he gathered the children around him, I’m sure he bent down to be on their level. Probably some of them crawl...

  Inspired by Scholastica Precarious Times Spring is taking its time getting here in Atchison. We’ve had some warm days and then it gets colder again. I guess weather is always somewhat unpredictable, much like humans. We think we know someone, and then he/she does something entirely out of character. For example, a friend who was very interested in doing crossword puzzles and sharing answers with me, stopped doing them. Other games on the computer have replaced them. This new technology is replacing a lot of previous interests. Some people feel that way about religion. There have been many changes in the church practices and liturgies.   Some would like to go back to the good old days when we just observed rather than participated. But I have appreciated the changes, the updated translations of the Bible, and the reception of the bread and wine in the Eucharistic liturgy. Of course, with churches having different ways of celebrating, it is still hard to adapt to some ...

  Our Water Carrier If you see a short sister in a bib apron, she is our plant waterer. We have plants  in little nooks all around the monastery. She also talks to the plants, replants them              when necessary, and thins out extra foliage.          This is a big job since we have over two hundred plants: ferns, ivies, orchids, rubber, jade, tulips, African violets, geraniums, and more.   She knows which plants require more attention, just like people. She sometimes needs to prop the leaves up with a stick. or divide them into two pots.   Whether they are green leaves or blooming flowers, water is rejuvenating, refreshing, keeping roots moist, and leaves sprouting. . Thanks to our faithful water carrier with her magical touch, our plants thrive and live long lives, like our sisters.    

  Inspired by Scholastica Human Rights for All At our retreat last week, we reflected on St. Benedict’s Rule and the Eucharist. The retreat director was articulate, focused, and humorous. That’s A+ in my book. At the last session, he told us to “go,” and I think he gave some suggestions like “Go now and be loving,” “Go and forgive,” and all the other things Jesus told us to do. My mind slid into thoughts about things I wanted to do or should do. In our present political climate, I need to contact my Senators and Representatives about my concerns such as federal workers losing their jobs and the possibility of cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. And I ought to voice my anxieties about deporting undocumented workers and their families. I should also make known my apprehensions about the Ukraine/Russia situation and how that could affect the United States and other countries. I need to clarify my fears about destroying the environmental progress the US has made, wh...

Inspired by Scholastica   Withstanding the Enemy The Dalai Lama said that he learned a lot from those different from him in views, skin color, or even those who didn’t like him. They told him things others would not and he learned from their perspectives. So can we when we meet people with opposing viewpoints. This is especially necessary in this period of turbulent religious and political interchanges. When we commit ourselves to viewing people that we do not agree with differently, what kinds of friends would lend us support? Robert Wicks speaks of four types that would help us keep this commitment: the prophet, the cheerleader, the harasser, and the inspirer. These kinds of friends would help us to be “resilient, challenged, supported and encouraged to live a spiritually rich life,” Wicks says. The prophet type asks whose voices are you listening to? Prophets are not popular because they goad us relentlessly to listen and to discern. The second type of friend is the ...

  Inspired by Scholastica   Virtue of Humility We don’t often think of praying for the virtue of humility. It might seem degrading or self-negating. Yet we admire people who are humble, like Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Mary, mother of God. They are models of goodness and simplicity. St. Benedict thought so much of humility that he put 12 steps to attain it in his Rule. The first step is to keep the fear of God always before his eyes. That is hard to do in this age of instant communication and myriad distractions. So it’s a goal, but not easily achieved. The second step is that a person loves not his own will nor takes pleasure in the satisfaction of his desires.   Another difficult step. We are reluctant to give up our independence and want to have our pleasures. There is value in practicing humility. One value is to listen to another’s point of view and not to think we have all the answers. This is extremely difficult in the current world with fake news ...

  Inspired by Scholastica   Immigration History All of us are descendants of immigrants except the Native Americans who were born here. Most of our ancestors came from Europe, Ireland, or Mexico. Some of them took the land from the Native Americans and relegated them to reservations. Even worse, some of our ancestors (often religious teachers) made the native children speak English and dress like the white children. They also removed them from their families and punished them if they spoke in their native tongue. Most of us are not proud of how some of our ancestors treated Native American children. We know that some of our white forebearers were cruel and inhumane to them. We are just beginning to acknowledge the mistreatment of Native American children and are trying to make some kind of restitution. Now our government wants to banish undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived most of their lives in the U.S. Many immigrants have come here to flee violence and...

    Inspired by Scholastica Hugging Trees Did you ever hug a tree?   Considering their value and beauty, we ought to promote tree hugging.   They provide oxygen to keep us alive and filter the poisons out of the air. They also purify our water and provide food for animals and humans.   In addition, they also provide homes for animals, wood for making houses, and shade on hot summer days. I’m sure the first farmers, fishermen, and lumbermen planted trees to provide for their livelihoods.   When they cut down too many trees, they found that they upset the balance of nature, and many trees died. Trees are essential to life, and I don’t think we could ever have too many. In the Amazon Rain Forest in South America, companies are cutting down trees and ruining the natives’ source of food and homes for the variety of animals that live there. The rain forest also provides 20 percent of the world’s oxygen and has the most biodiversity in the world. More than...

  Inspired by Scholastica     Bent-Over Woman   When [Jesus] laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. (Luke 13:13)   The synagogue leaders shun me, deem me demented, possessed by demons. Stooped in body, crushed in spirit, I hobble to the synagogue, hidden, eyes riveted to the ground. Then the Master calls me; hesitant, I shuffle toward him, dazed and fearful, unable to lift my head.   Jesus touches me and I feel my body straighten, my eyes lift to see his face. Joy floods my soul. Amazing the crowd, I can stand up again after eighteen years of being horizontal to the ground. He calls me a “daughter of Abraham,” making me part of the family of Israel .   Jesus defied Jewish law by speaking to me, a woman, in public, touching me, curing me on the Sabbath. He stood up for me and for all those bent over by injustice, hatred, fear or sickness. For when one is cru...

  Inspired by Scholastica   Courage to Face Challenges It is challenging to keep one’s peace of mind when living amidst confusion, obfuscation, and distortion of facts. We want to live peacefully and calmly in the midst of a topsy-turvy world. Here are a few things I am trying. First, to try to understand what is happening through reading and informative programs. I need to listen to people I trust and read books by authors who seem to be wiser and better informed than I. I am also lifting up my concerns to our loving God and pray that he will protect us from seemingly detrimental decisions that are being made by our leaders. I try to pray for those making the decisions that they will listen to their constituents and make laws that will help the people that are hurting in our society. Another action I am trying is listening to soothing music and TV programs that will calm my soul and help me to laugh and lift my spirit. Finally, I’m trying to write the leaders in...

    Is Unity Possible? “That all may be one as we are one.”   This week we marked the annual Prayer for Christian Unity. I don’ t know when this special week began, but it is certainly an essential concern for Christians everywhere. Christ established one Church and intended that all would follow his teachings. But in the 16 th century, the Protestant Reformation changed religious beliefs and practices when Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses as a reaction against the selling of indulgences by the Catholic Church. I grew up believing that the Catholic Church was the only true church because it was founded by Jesus Christ. Now I think most Christians believe in the essentials of faith and could become one Church. Today it is good to see many churches uniting in promoting peace and justice and joining together in special celebrations like Martin Luther King Day, the Epiphany, and even some feasts of Mary. Ministers of some churches exchange pulpits and ...

  Ordinary Time began this week in the Church calendar. After the Advent-Christmas season the liturgical prayers are less festive, more ordinary. But this is certainly no ordinary time in the United States. The horrendous and tragic fires in Los Angeles are far from ordinary. The Santa Ana winds and dry brush whipped the fire through the city and surrounding area. Over 12,000 structures were burned to the ground and at least 25 people died in the disaster. Even more extraordinary is the election of a convicted felon to the presidency. His appointments to high offices and his agenda for expelling illegal immigrants are very worrisome. Concerned leaders are trying to find ways to control this damage to our democracy. On the world sphere, the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria last December after years of atrocity crimes was another extraordinary event. The government was taken by surprise when adversaries took over.   There was evidence of grave internation...

  Inspired by Scholastica As Years Go By As I grow older, I am learning to let go of many things. Age takes its toll, and I am not able to do many of the activities I used to do. It took me a while to accept the fact that I am old and it’s okay for me not to be involved as much. I used to do some embroidery, but I can no longer see well enough to do the stitches. I have given up doing the daily New York Times crossword puzzles because of my eye problems. I still do some word games on my iPad. I have a small job to keep the cereal containers filled and counters cleaned in the dining room. And since I write the daily Chronicles, I try to attend meetings and activities so I can record what is happening in our monastery. Most of my time is spent in prayer and spiritual reading. I find solace in talking to God and listening as he speaks to me in community prayer, Mass, and in conversations with friends. I also enjoy nature, especially the birds and squirrels that come to our fe...

  Inspired by Scholastica   A Noteworthy Leader Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States, passed away last week at the age of 100.   He only served one term, but he was beloved by many for his kindness, honesty, and seeker of peace. After his term of office, he remained active in Habitat for Humanity, taught Sunday school, and was involved in his community. His faith was very important to him, and he preached eulogies tor statesmen and religious leaders alike. It always amazed me that a peanut farmer could become president. He brokered a peace accord between Israel and Palestine (which did not hold) and traveled widely to demonstrate the good will of the U.S. toward all. He achieved noteworthy results at times, thanks to his stature as a peacemaker, humanitarian and champion of democracy and his significant relationships with foreign leaders whether he liked them or not. He was awarded the Nobel Peace in 2002 for his decades of untiring effort to find pea...